Piston and piston king



M. H. sULLlAvAN. y PISTON AND P|S,TON RING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1921.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

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' MICHAEL H. SULLIVAN, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK. v

PISTON AND PISTON RING.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. SULLivAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pistons and PistonR-ings; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and usev the same. i

This application relates to improvements in pistons and piston rings and constitutes a continuation in part of my pending U. S. applicationv Serial No. A462,109 filed on or about April 18, 1921.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved piston ring and a novel piston construction associated therewith, so that the expansion of Lthe ring into constantly tight contact with the cylinder wall, is not dependent upon the inherent resiliency of the ringbut is effected by means of a suitable spring carried by the piston, the ring being formed of two semi-circularsections vforced outwardlyby the same spring, so as to equalize the pressure on both of said sections.

A further object is to provide sealing blocks for the spaces between the ends of the ring sections and to provide co'acting means on said blocks and ring sections to force the former always into tight contact with the cylinder wall. This co-acting means preferably consists of ribs carried by the sealing blocks and grooves in the ring sections slidably receiving said `ribs'and a further aim is to pivotally mount'the ribs to facilitate assembly of the rings in the piston groove, as well as to' allow free movement of the ring sections in partially adapting themselves to the cylinder walls.

Withthe foregoing and minor objects in view,'t he invention .resides in the novel construction and association of parts hereinpanying drawings.

Figure l is a transverse sectional view Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

Application filed June 6,

1921. Serial No. 475,543.

through the improved piston and the portion of its retaining cylinder7 showing ythe piston ring and its expanding means in elevation. i

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the piston, cylinder an'd associated parts7 as indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Figuie 3 is a perspective view showing the two sections of the piston ring in juxtaposition.

Figure 4c is a detail sectional view as indicated by line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the sealing blocks. Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the heads which are thrust outwardly by spring tension to force the ring sections into tight contact with the cylinder.

Figure 7 is a duplicate of Fig. 1 with the exception that it illustrates a modified form of construction.

In Figs. 1 to 6 vof the drawings above briefly described, I have shown a piston 1 contained in a cylinder 2, said piston having spaced ring grooves 3. The piston rings are each formed of two semi-circular sections 4; across whose centers. semi-cylindrical extensions 5 of cylindrical heads 6 extend, said heads having rounded outer ends 7 for contact with the inner edges of the ring sections tol permit any necessary tilting of the latter with respect to the heads. Studs 8 extend inwardly from the heads 6 and said heads and studs are received in diametrically positioned tubes 9 which extend across the interior of the piston 1 and are preferably located at right angles to each other as shown, thereby causing the ring sections L1 to break joints with the next adjacent ring. The tubes 9 are preferably cast integrally with the piston 1 but this is not altogether essential, said tubes being provided for the purpose of housin coiled springs 10 which act oppositely aga-inst the ring sections to force them into tight contact with the cylinder wall, the ends of the springs being positioned in contact with the heads 6 and surrounding the studs 8 as shown fully in Figs. 1 and 2.

ring grooves 3. The flat side of eacli block 11 is provided with a curved rib 13 pivoted thereto at 13a, and the ring sections 4 areV provided with grooves 14 concentric with said sections and slidably receivingthe ribs of said blocks. The 'grooves 14 preferably extend throughout the length of the ring sections 4 to facilitate manufacture and provide a lighter ring, and in order to prevent circumferential, creeping of said ring sec,- tionsV upon the ribs 13, I provide a-pair of stop pins 14a in one of the grooves.

As will `be, seen vmostv clearly by reference to Fig. 1, the co-acting ribs and grooves 13 and 14 not only prevent any inward movement ofthe sealing blocks 11 fromthe cylinder Walls, but these parts crowd said sealing blocks outwardly as, the spring 1() separates the ring sections 4 and holds them in tight Contact with the cylinder. An absolutely non-leaking piston ring is thus provided and attention is directed to the fact that this ring does not rely on its inherent resiliency to hold it in lcontact with the cylinder, all expansion of the ring beingy effected by a spring of suitable tension, said spring acting oppositely on the two rin@ sections so as to hold them in contact with the cylinder wall under preciselyy the same pressure. As the ring sections 4 wear slightly and are moved outwardly by the spring 10,

the co-acting ribs and grooves 13 and 14 crowd the sealing blocks 11 outwardly and at all times hold them in tight contact with the wall ofthe cylinder to prevent leakage.

I wish to direct particular attention to the fact that the ribs 13 are pivoted to the sealing blocks 11. f This is not only of advantage in assembling the ring sections in the ring groove, but it permits any necessary movement of said ring sections in properly adaptingth'emselves to the cylinder. Since the sections 4 are not secured to the heads 6 or their extensions 5 and may rock slightly on the rounded ends 7 of said heads, their movement is not interfered with in any manner. 5- Thek pistons and rings as shown may all be standard, that-is, different sized pistons .can yhave grooves of the same width and depth, andthe recesses 12 and tubes 9 may Lbe of uniform size, so that rings of standard dimensions, with the exception of their diameterkmay be manufactured for .use on pistons vof numerous slzes, without the necessity of changing any dimensions except the at one end as shown as 4h and are sealed at their other ends by one ofthe blocks 11 above described. lVith the exception of pivoting the ends of the ring sections together instead of having the both ends free of attachment to each other, the construction shown in Fig. 7 is identical with that above described and hence further explanation is unnecessary.

`Since excellent results are being obtained from the details disclosed, these details ma well be followed. It is to be understoo however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may be made.

I claim:

1. The combination with a piston having a ring groove; ofa piston ring in said Groove diametrically split into two semi-circulir relatively movable sections, and a single coiled spring extending" diametrically across said piston and acting on the cente'rsof said ring sections to force them into uniform contact with the cylinder wall. t

2. The combination with a hollow piston having a groove; of a tubular duide extending across the interior ofv said piston fand communicating at its ends with lsaid groove at diametrically opposite points, a iston ring n s in said groove divided diameti'ical y into` two relatively movable semi-circular sections, cylindrical heads bearing against the inner edges of said sections and having semicylindrical extensions resting against one lat side of said ring sectionsat their central portions,

said heads being slidabl received'insaidtiibular guide, and a coile spring in said guide acting oppositely against said heads, Whereby to force the two ring sections outwardly into uniform ycontactwith the cylinder walls.

3. The combination with a piston having a piston groove; of a piston ring in said groove divided into relatively movable sections, said piston having a recess at the meeting ends of said sections, a ysealing block in said recess in tight contact with one fiatside of said ring section, spring means forl forcing said ring `sections against the cylinder Wall and co-acting meanson said ringsections andy sealing block for utilizing the action of said spring means and themovement of said sections to force said block outwardly against the cylinder wall'. i

i `4. The combination with apiston having a ring groove ;.of a piston rin in said groove divided intorelatively movab e sections, said piston having a `recess at the meeting ends of said sections opening into one side of said groove, a flat-sidedradially movable sealing c block located in said recess `and contacting Vwith one flat side` of said ring sections, and an arcuate rib on said sealing block, said ring sections having I rooves slidably receivingfsaid rib, and spring meansV for forcing the ring sections outwardly into tight conizo tact with the cylinder Wall and thereby causing the rib and grooves to force said sealing block outwardly.;

5. A structure' as specified in claim Ll, said rib being pivoted to said sealing block.

6. A piston ring divided into a pair of relatively inovable sections, the adjacent ends of said sections having grooves in one fiat Side, a sealing block having a fiat side contacting with said side of said ring sections, and an arcuate rib pivoted to said sealing block and having its ends slidably received in said groove.

7. A semi-cylindrical sealing block of the type set forth, having a rib pivoted to and extending transversely across its fiat side.

8. A spring-actuated ring expanding device comprising a cylindrical head having a semi-cylindrical extension at one end and a projecting stud at its other end, the exposed portion of said one end being rounded for Contact with the inner edge of said piston ring section.

9. A hollow pistonhaving a plurality of ring grooves, and a plurality of tubes extending diainetrieally across said piston and communicating with said grooves, said tubes being adapted to contain ring-expanding springs and being disposed in intersecting planes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MICHAEL IfI. SULLIVAN. 

